We don't usually think of our homes as dangerous places compared to the busy and unpredictable world outside. But accidents can happen in any room, and now it seems that one room, in particular, is the number one place for incidents to occur.
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A new report by The Compensation Experts has revealed that the living room is the most dangerous place in the home for kids. This was based on a survey of 1,000 parents in the UK, with a total of 43% of parents admitting that their child has injured themselves in this room. Why is this, and what living room ideas can we use to make them safer?
The most dangerous room in the house
The living room was in fact closely followed by the garden, with 37% of parents saying kids had had an accident outside the home, and the bedroom was at 32%. Could it simply be that the living room is the most multi-functional room in the home and therefore the place children spend the most time playing? The place where the least accidents occur was the garage, presumably because young children don't tend to spend much time in there unsupervised.
From looking at NHS data, The Compensation Experts found that 67,135 children were admitted to hospital last year due to home-related injuries. The survey also questioned UK parents on the safety features they have and haven’t installed in their homes to help reduce accidents.
34% of parents in the survey had never installed bed or crib barriers. Yet just under a quarter of parents said their child had had an accident from falling from a bed or crib in their children's rooms.
41% of UK parents had never installed cupboard safety locks - however, it is definitely a measure some parents should consider since 13% of UK parents stated that their children had accidentally consumed detergent pods. Cupboard locks are inexpensive plastic locks that prevent children from opening cupboards, and from trapping their fingers.
If you're looking for ways to keep your home safe for your kids here are a few other safety measures you can implement to help prevent accidents.
Safety measures in the homes
Hob safeguard
Place childproof covers on oven hobs and stoves to prevent nasty burns.
Electric plug sockets guard
Keep all electrical cables out of reach and insert plastic socket covers to prevent your child from touching electrical outlets.
Rubber corner guard
Childproof all sharp corner edges with rubber corner guards to prevent head bumps and injuries to the eye from your best dining table.
Baby Gate
A baby gate is an efficient way to stop children from getting into a room on their own. A baby gate will allow you to rest easy, knowing that your child is safe.
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From hot hobs to sharp counter edges, sockets, and loose wires, our homes are filled with potential dangers for children.
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